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Jackson, Mississippi is becoming a nice home for indie music, thanks largely in part to the Esperanza Plantation record company who has given a platform to Bellador, Questions in Dialect, and now Fletcher. Listening to the full-length Friends Don't Speak, it's easy to forget that all of the band members are still teenagers.

With a frantic style of rock reminiscent of Cursive, At the Drive-In, and to some extent Mars Volta, Friends Don't Speak blasts out of the gate with several high-powered rock anthems, but takes time to explore the softer side of things before the album reaches its conclusion. The band has a tight sound that holds well through the various breakneck tempos found throughout the album. 

The lyrics on Friends Don't Speak range from pretty good to "what were they thinking" territory. Nonetheless, there is some definite potential shown that just needs time to be fleshed out.

A listen to the entire album makes it difficult to pick out any specific standout tracks, as the songs are careful to remain close to the aggro rock style that the band has placed themselves in. This is an album that works well when the listener is in the right mood, otherwise it could be audio overkill. Fletcher shows here that they can become something great. More time and experience should help them in realizing this goal.

Trae Cadenhead 1/17/2004
 
 

*Album cover image is attached as .jpeg file